Corner assembly for a screen frame

ABSTRACT

A corner assembly, for holding a screen frame, is provided in which the corner assembly has a pair of arms disposed to be connected to frame side members, preferably by being telescopically received therein, for installation inside a fixed frame at the periphery of a window. Each corner assembly includes a slide member carried in a slideway, which slide member carries a retaining protrusion extending therefrom, and with the slide member having a manually engageable, movable button, movable longitudinally, to move the slide member and its protruding button between two positions, one position of which is an extended position for the retaining protrusion, and another position of which is a retracted position therefor. In the extended position of the retaining protrusion, the protrusion is adapted to engage within a recess of a fixed frame member of a window.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/122,887 filed Sep. 16,1993.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the art of window manufacture, it is known to provide windows withfixed frames, in which movable frames are disposed. The movable framesmay carry screening therein, for ventilation purposes.

It is also known, in the art of window manufacture, that movable frameassemblies are disposed within fixed frame assemblies, for raising orlowering screens or the like, for pivotally moving screens or the like,for facilitating placement, cleaning, or for any other purposes and/orfor adjustment of the position of the movable frame assembly thatcomprises the screen or the like, within the fixed frame.

One example of a prior art type of frame corner bracket is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. Des. 307,078 dated Apr. 10, 1990, which represents acorner bracket for holding an insect screen, or the like, that may beinserted into an exterior frame.

THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward providing a frame assembly thatincludes a corner assembly for an insect screen, or the like, in whichmeans are provided for efficiently providing a retaining mechanism forretaining the movable frame assembly into a fixed frame, for any ofvarious purposes, such as for securement of the movable frame in aretained position, for facilitating a desired position of the movableframe assembly relative to a fixed frame, etc.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novelcorner assembly and frame comprising such assembly, in which a frameassembly for a screen or the like is provided with a slidable lockingmechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide a corner assembly fora removable frame, in accordance with the foregoing object.

It is another object of this invention to provide an efficient retainingmechanism of the slide type, for use with a corner assembly for amovable or removable frame assembly for a screen or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyunderstood, upon a reading of the following brief descriptions of thedrawing figures, detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments, andthe appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of the cornerassembly of this invention and portions of side members of a movable orremovable frame, to which the corner assembly is connected.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view of a lower left corner of a movableor removable screen frame assembly, including a corner assembly, inaccordance with this invention.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal, sectional view taken through the corner assemblyshown in FIG. 2, generally along the line III--III of FIG. 2, with theretaining protrusion of the corner assembly being shown disposed inretaining relation in a portion of a fixed frame assembly, that in turn,is illustrated in phantom in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the corner assembly ofFIG. 2, generally along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIG.1, wherein the movable frame assembly that is shown in FIG. 2, is seenas comprising a pair of side frame members 11 and 12, generally disposedabout 90° apart, and a corner assembly 13.

The corner assembly 13 has a pair of connector arms 14, 15 extendingoutwardly from a corner connector portion 16, generally at 90° relativeto each other as shown, for facilitating telescopic receipt of the arms14, 15, into corresponding channels or other openings 17, 18,respectively, of the frame side members 11, 12, which telescopic receiptof such arms 14, 15 is thus shown in the dotted line showing for thearms in FIG. 2.

The cross-sectional configuration for the frame side members 11, 12, maybe of the roll formed or extruded U-shaped construction 20, 21 shown forexample, in FIG. 1, for the frame side member 12, with the channel 18opening upward, as shown, for receipt therein of a peripheral bead 22for a screen 23 (see FIG. 2) therein, as shown. It will be understoodthat there will preferably be four such frame side members 11, 12,comprising the periphery of the movable or removable frame 10, withretaining corner assemblies 13, preferably at each of the four cornersthereof.

Each arm 14, 15 of the corner assembly 13 will preferably also have aU-shaped configuration 25, opening into a channel 26, as shown in FIG.1, including a base 27, arms 28, 30, adapted to be resiliently receivedin gripping telescopic relation within side members 11, 12. In theparticular arrangement shown, the portions 27, 28 and 30 of the arm 15are respectively received within zones 31, 32, 33 of frame side member12 as shown in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the outer end of each ofarm portions 27, 28 and 30 is chamfered as shown at 34.

It will also be understood that the arm 14 is constructed generallysimilar to that of 15, as shown, for likewise telescopic connection tothe frame side member 11.

At the left end of the U-shaped opening 26 of the arm 15, and continuinginto the interior 35 of the corner junction 16, is a slideway 36, asshown in FIG. 4. The slideway 36 houses therein a slide member 37,movable therein between the full line position therefor shown in FIG. 3and the phantom line position therefor 38, also shown in FIG. 3, withthe slide member 37 being of generally rectangular configuration, asshown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

Fixedly carried on the left end of the slide member 37, and preferablyunitary therewith, is a retaining protrusion 38, such that when theslide member 37 has its right-most end as shown in FIG. 3 in the phantomline position 38 illustrated in FIG. 3, the left-most end 40 of theretaining protrusion 38 is either even with the left-most end 41 of thecorner connector 16, or is slightly sunken (not shown), relativethereto, such that it does not protrude outwardly thereof. When theslide member 37 is in the full line position therefor shown in FIG. 3,the retaining protrusion 38 is in the extended position shown in FIG. 3,adapted to be engaged within a recess 42 in a fixed frame member 43,preferably disposed about the movable or removable frame member 10, inwhich the movable or removable frame member 10 will preferably bereceived.

Alternatively, the slide member 37 could be of multiple-piececonstruction, such as in the form of a two-piece snap-in arrangement,not shown herein.

A slot 44 is provided in the slide member 37, in which a pair of lockingtangs 45, 46 of a button 47 are received, in resilient engagementtherewith, as shown in FIG. 3, with the button 47 having a manuallyengageable, slightly protruding and/or knurled outer surface 48, forengagement by preferably the thumb of a user, for sliding the slidemember 37 within the slideway 36, by engaging the surface 48 of thebutton 47 and moving the same leftward and rightward within its guideway50 as shown in FIG. 3.

Thus, it will be seen that the slide member 37 moves parallel with andwithin the slideway 36, upon movement of the button 47 within itsguideway 50, also parallel therewith.

It will also be seen that the corner assembly is preferably constructedof only three components; namely, the corner connector 16 with itsextending arms 14 and 15 comprising one component, with the slide member37 comprising another component, and with the retaining button 47comprising the third component. Alternatively, the corner assembly couldbe made of a fewer or greater number of components. It will also beunderstood that the device of the present invention may be constructedsuch that the components of the corner assembly are of thermoplasticconstruction, which lends itself to ready slidability of the slidingcomponents within their slideways/guideways; that the corner assembliesare readily adaptable for insertion into side frame members that are ofany compatible construction, such as aluminum, steel, vinyl or otherappropriate materials, and which lend themselves to adaptation tovarious color schemes, or the like.

It will further be understood that various modifications may be made inthe details of constructions, as well as in the use and operation of thecomponents of the present invention, all within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A corner assembly for a frame for a screen or the like, withthe assembly comprising a corner connector having a corner junction anda pair of connector arms disposed at approximately 90° relative to eachother; with said connector arms being spaced apart from each other bysaid corner junction, and with said corner junction including at leastone exterior face, with the corner connector having a slideway thereindisposed parallel to, and at least partially within one of its saidarms; with a slide member carried in said slideway in sliding engagementwith said slideway, between extended and retracted positions therein;with said slide member having a retaining protrusion extendingtherefrom, in a direction generally parallel to said slideway; saidprotrusion extending in protruding relation beyond said corner connectorin the extended position of said slide member and being substantiallyentirely disposed in retracted relation within said corner connector inthe retracted position of said slide member; and including a retainingbutton carried by said slide member and being adapted to be manuallyengaged by a user for moving said slide member between extended andretracted positions thereof, including an elongated opening in theexterior face of the corner junction, generally parallel with saidslideway and connecting said slideway with the exterior of said cornerjunction, and with said retaining button extending from said slidemember to the exterior of the corner junction through said opening, fortraversal of said button along said opening as said slide member movesbetween retracted and extended positions.
 2. The assembly of claim 1,wherein said corner assembly is comprised of only the following threeseparate parts;a) a corner connector; b) a slide member; and c) abutton.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, with said button having a face andshank; and with the shank extending through said opening and beingcarried by said slide member.
 4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein theface of said button includes means for facilitating manual engagementthereof.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said corner assembly iscomprised of thermoplastic components.
 6. The assembly of claim 1,wherein said retaining protrusion is of unitary construction with saidslide member.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, including an elongated openingin the corner connector, generally parallel with said slideway andconnecting said slideway with the exterior of said corner connector; andwith said retaining button extending from said slide member to theexterior of the corner connector through said opening, for traversal ofsaid button along said opening as said slide member moves betweenretracted and extended positions; with said button having a face andshank; and with the shank extending through said opening and beingcarried by said slide member; wherein the face of said button includesmeans facilitating manual engagement thereof; wherein said cornerassembly is comprised of thermoplastic components; wherein said cornerassembly is comprised of the following three separate parts;a) a cornerconnector; b) a slide member; c) a button; and wherein said protrusionis of unitary construction with said slide member.